Apparatus for liquefying air



No. 62!,536. Patented Mar. 2|, 1899.

o. P. OSTERGREN & m. BURGER.

APPARATUS FOR LIQUEFYING AIR.

A umimi filed Aug. 11, 1897.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

rm: mums PETERS no. PHUTQUTHQ. wumuurom u. c.

No. 62!,536. Patented-Mar.- 2|, I899.

' U. P. USTERGBEN G. M. BURGER.

APPARATUS FOB LIOUEFYING AIR.

(Agplication filed Aug. 11, 1897.)

2 Sheais-Shaet 2.

(No Model.)

l/VVE/VTOHS. ad f ms Nonms PETERS co. Puma-Limo" wAsmNmcN, b cv NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR P. OSTERGREN AND -MORIZ BURGER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGN- ORS TO THE GENERAL LIQUID AIR AND REFRIGERATING COMPANY, OF

NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR LIQUEFYING AIR.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,536, dated March 21, 1899. Application filed August 11, 1897 $erial No. 647,851;- (No model.) I

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, OSCAR P. OSTERGREN, a citizen of the Kingdom of Sweden,and MORIZ BURGER, a citizen of the Republic'of Switzerland, residing at New York, (Brooklyn,) in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful 1m p'rovements in Apparatus for Liquefying Atmospheric Air, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an improved apparatus for liquefying atmospheric air, the construction of which is based on the researches of Prof. Dr. Carl Linde, of Munich,

Germany, as published in the London Engineer of November 13 and 20, 1896, the apparatus being designed with a view of furnishing means by which the liquefaction of the atmospheric air can be carried on practically and in large quantities, so that the same can be applied for domestic and commercial uses in suitable non conductive receivers, and

thereby cold stored up and accumulated in the most concentrated form and applied whenever required for use for cooling, ventilating,

chemical, and power purposes.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of our improved apparatus for liquefying atmospheric air.

' 0 Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the same.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3 3, Fig. 1, drawn on a somewhat larger scale. Fig. 4t is'a diagrammatic horizontal section showing the arrangement of the spiral partition at the inside of the condensing vessel; and Fig. 5 is vertical central section, drawn on a larger scale, of the central valved delivery-pipe for the liquefied atmospheric air.

Similar letters ofreference indicate the 40 same parts in all the difierent figures.

Referring to the drawings, Arepresents the condenser,constructed of a strong cylindrical vessel which is supported on a suitable base A and tightly closed by strong heads attached thereto by suitable packings d of soft rubber or other flexible material. The interior of the condenser-cylinder A is divided by means of two spiral partitions into two separate channels a and b, which lead from points on the periphery of the cylinder to the center thereof. The upper and lower'edges of the spiral partitions P are embedded in soft rubber mats erably, at a point diametrically to the supplypipe D for the compressed air, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The central pipe 0 is firmly supported in central sleeves or hubs A and A of the top and bottom plates of the cylinder A, closed at the upper end by tightly-fit- 7o ting screw-plug C and provided at the lower end with a valved discharge-nozzle C at some distance below the bottom of the condensingcylinder A. The central pipe 0 is provided at the interior of the cylinder A with three ports an intermediate-port f for the ingress of the cold compressed air, which communicates with the channel a, through which the compressed air is conducted toward the central pipe 0; an upper port f, through which a portion of the compressed air is discharged into the second channel I) and expanded into the same, so as to produce by the cold generated thereby the liquefaction of the compressed air that is continuously conducted through the channel a in counter-current t0 theexpanded air in the chamber btoward the central pipe 0. The lower port f arranged near the bottom of the condensing-cylinder A, serves to conduct the air liquefied in the space around the central pipe 0 at the point of greatest cold into the lower part of the central pipe C, so as to be drawn off through the valved nozzle into suitable receivers. At the interior of the central pipe 0 are arranged two slide-valves F F, which are connected by a spindle with a screw-plug at the upper end of the central pipe 0 and which serve for opening or closing the ports f f and produce thereby the starting or stopping of the apparatus. In Figs. 2 and 5 the valves are shown in open position, the valve-nozzle being likewise shown in open position ready to draw off the liquefied air at the interior end of the spiral supply-channel adjacent to the central pipe 0. The valves F and F when in lowered closed position register with and close the ports f and f in the pipe C, while the port f'is normally in open position. The valves F F are covered by suitable packing material, so as to fit tightly into the pipe 0 and produce thereby the proper conduction of the compressed air from the compressedair channel into the intermediate expanding channel, in which the air expands for producing the lower temperature required for liquefaction.

The compressed and cooled air is supplied to the interior of the condensing-cylinder by means of the valved inlet-pipe D, which is connected to a suitable collar and compressor. (Not shown in the drawings.) This inletpipe D opens into the channel a, which communicates with the portf in the central pipe C. air back into the-compressor is connected at one end with a suction-port of the compressor and at its other end with the channel I) of the condensing cylinder which communicates with the port f in the central pipe 0.

In operating this apparatus the outlet-port f and the port f? of the central pipe 0 are opened by raising the valves F and F out of register therewith. This opening of these ports causes the apparatus to begin working. The compressed and cooled air flows in through the pipe D, thence through the channel a into the pipe 0, through the portf, and the air is then discharged through the portf into the channel I) and there expands, thereby producing the cold necessary to liquefy the compressed air in the channel (t. The compressed air in said channel a is conducted in a counter-current to the expanded air in the channel Z), and being divided therefrom by a thin partition only is subject to the cooling 1 The pipe D for discharging the expanded The condenser is preferably jacketed by a suitable non-conductor of heat, so as to protect it against exterior change of temperature, while the concentric rings of the interior spirals are insulating one another, and the entire apparatus is built of sufficient strength to resist the high pressure in the same and permit the continuous liquefaction of cold compressed air and storage into suitable receivers for utilization in the arts.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. An apparatus forliquefying atmospheric air consisting of an exterior closed condensing-cylinder, two spiral partitions arranged in said cylinder and forming narrow channels respectively for the ingoing cold and compressed air and the outgoing expanding'air, a supply-pipe for the compressed air connecting with the on terend of one spiral channel, a discharge-pipe for the expanded air connected with the outer end of the second spiral channel, a central pipe provided with ports for permitting the cold compressed air to pass from the ingoing to the outgoing channel, means for opening and closing said ports, a third port in the lower part of the central pipe for drawing oif the liquefied air, and means for drawing off the liquefied air from the lower part of the central pipe, substantially as set forth.

2. In an apparatus for liquefying atmospheric air, the combination of a condenser consisting of a closed vessel, two metallic sheets wound in parallel spirals forming two narrow passages, a pipe for supplying compressed and cooled air to one of said passages, a pipe for drawing off the expanded air connected with the other passage, a central airpipe in said condenser provided with ports, means for opening and closing said ports, said means being adjustable and adapted to connect and disconnect said ports with the ingoing and outgoing passages, and means for drawing off the liquefied air.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our invention we have signed our names in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OSCAR P. OSTERGREN. MORIZ BURGER. lVitnesses:

PAUL GoEPEL, Geo. W. -JAEKEL. 

